Method of incorporating elastic yarn in knitted fabric



Nov. 4, 1941. E. sr; PIERRE METHOD OF INCORPORATING ELASTIC YARN IN KNITTED FABRIC Filed June 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q/zI I E/VTR E EwE/ SZ'P 3 FIG. 2.

Nov. 4, 1941. EST. PIERRE METHOD OF INCORPORATING ELASTIC YARN IN KNITTED FABRIC Filed June 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MBA/7W2. Evan 582175791912,- .7%

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 METHOD OF INCORPORATING ELASTIC YARN IN KNITTED FABRIC Eugene St. Pierre, Pawtucket, R. I., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 17, 1940, Serial No. 314,286

6 Claims.

This case concerns a method of incorporating elastic yarn in knitted fabrics such as in stocking tops or other fabrics wherein such yarns are used. More specifically, the method involves control of an elastic yarn so as to facilitate laying-in the yarn and eventually getting the same into the fabric under less tension than has commonly resulted heretofore. A result is that the fabric such as a stocking top or the like will have a greater degree of stretch and will be more perfectly knitted than by other existing methods.

In the figures of drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing several needles,

greatly enlarged, at the elastic yarn feeding shown in substantially the positions they occupy relative to needles; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view of needles and sinkers throughout about the same part of the knitting cycle as illustrated in Fig. 3, the view showing how sinkers are employed to effect the interlacing of the elastic yarn with needles; and

Fig. 5 is a conventional view showing a half hose with a top such as might be knitted by the method herein described.

This application is a continuation as to all common subject matter of applicant's co-pnding application Serial #254,247, filed February 2, 1939. In the instant case a method of inlaying elastic is described wherein the elastic may be fed to needles under relatively light tension but will be interlaced in front of and in back of needles accurately despite said slight tension. It is well known that in feeding elastic to needles to be inlaid by feeding below the latches of spaced needles and passing the yarn behind intervening needles, a great deal of tension must be imposed upon the yarn or it will not pass to the back of intervening needles with accuracy. When such excessive tension is applied, the result is that the fabric, a stocking top or the like, will be relatively tight and devoid of stretch or extensibility in a lateral direction. Obviously, if sufficient extensibility is not forthcoming, the fabric will not be satisfactory from a commercial viewpoint.

By feeding an elastic yarn so that it is taken ternate needles, and allowing the same to pass above or to the back of hooks of intermediate needles, very little tension need be applied to the said elastic yarn if sinkers are later employed as will be described hereinafter to push the elastic yarn behind those intermediate needles prior to their being raised. Since the elastic yarn is drawn by needles passing downwardly to a point where their hooks arrive at approximately the level of sinker throats, yarn is drawn from the source of supply rather freely and does not have to stretch since a light tension is to be imposed thereon, and also since no real interlacing action takes place up to that point. Sinkers are moved in at about the time needles reach their lowermost position and since the elastic yarn is at a level of the sinker throats, the throats will engage the elastic yarn and push it radially inward of the needle cylinder. Thereafter needles may rise, those needles which took the elastic yarn in the hooks passing up past the elastic yarn until the same is cleared below latches of those needles. The intermediate needles will rise in front of the elastic yarn which has been pushed radially inwardly by the sinkers. The interlacing action will be complete at that time and the elastic will have been passed below needle latches so that upon taking of a non-elastic yarnor yarns, the same may be knitted casting off the elastic whereby it may be inlaid as is now well understood by those skilled in the art.

Now referring to the figures of drawings, in Fig. 1, an elastic yarn l isfed through a suitable yarn feeding guide 2 and is taken Within the hooks 3 of certain of the latch needles 4. In the illustration herein used by way of example the hooks of alternate needles take' the elastic yarn while the said yarn is to be interlaced by passing it behind intervening needles. This results in a simulated rib type fabric of the 1 x 1 construction. Obviously, other types of rib may be simulated by feeding to the hooks of every third, fourth or other needles. Likewise, the elastic may be fed to the hooks of more than one adjacent needle, then skip one or more needles, and then repeat.

The needles are drawn downwardly in a yarn drawing wave, although they are not drawn down to a stitch drawing position. As said needles approach the yarn guide 2 they are subjected to a selecting or needle dividing action, means for accomplishing the same being well known. Those needles which are to take the yarn in their hooks are raised to a greater height while intervening needles which pass in front of the yarn are not in the hooks of spaced needles, for example, al- 55 raised high enough so that the hooks tend to engage the yarn itself. Needles are drawn downwardly at least far enough to draw the elastic yarn I down to a point where it will pass into the web holding throats of sinkers 6, that is, beneath the nibs I of those sinkers. The said yarn may be drawn down to approximately the lower various levels at which needle hooks travel. All

hooks are approaching at a level 9 whereupon needles which are to take the elastic yarn in theirhooks are raised by the selecting or needle dividing means to a height indicated at l0. Thereafter all needles are drawn down taking the elastic yarn either in the hooks or in back of the hooks, .as the case may be, to approximately a level of the sinker throats indicated at II. This is done at what may be termed an elastic yarn inlaying feed, the same being positioned somewhere in advance of a main yarn feeding tation or mouthpiece at which nonelastic yarn or yarns are to be fed and knitted. After taking the elastic yarn as above described, the needles rise upwardly as at l2 and pass along at a level I3 whereat the elastic yarn rests upon needle latches, that is, upon the latches of those needles in the hooks of which it was taken.

Upon approaching the main yarn feed at which a non-elastic yarn such as indicated at H is to be fed by a yarn feeding lever l5 all needles rise to an elevation at l6 at which latches are cleared. They pass in a pathway I'I down the guard cam and then in a second pathway l8 as affected by the stitch cam. At the lowermost point needles knit casting off the previously drawn elastic which had been cleared below latches and which will appear in the fabric as an inlaid elastic yarn. Thereafter the cycle is repeated.

While the invention has been described according to one method of practicing the same in a single feed machine, yarn may be inlaid at one feed of a multi-feed machine, the result being that the same will appear in spaced courses. For example, there may be two non-elastic yarn feeds at one of which elastic will be inlaid, the result being that the elastic will appear in the fabric at alternate courses only. The elastic yarn feeding guide 2 may be withdrawn at intervals so that the elastic will be incorporated in the fabric for a course or courses and thereafter will skip a course or courses according to the amount of elastic and spacing thereof desired in the ultimate product.

In Fig. 3 several needles-and sinkers have been shown in an isometric view, the said-needles and sinkers being somewhat enlarged and spaced farther apart than ordinarily would be the practice. This is for purposes of simplifying the illustration. The isometric view shows needles and sinkers as though passing in a straight line although in machines of this type, circular independent needle machines, the actual pathway of these parts will be along an arc. The elastic yarn I is shown in this Fig. 3 having been drawn down by alternate needles to the level of sinker throats 5. At about the particular sinker as indicated by the letter a the yarn has reached a lowermost position so as to-be engaged within the throats of sinkers which are being moved inwardly at that vtime. The inward movement of sinkers continues to the sinkers b and c which have been projected in to about the maximum extent, and at least to an extent sufficient to push the elastic behind the so-called intervening needles. It will be noted that as the yarn is taken by alternate needles it passes in a general way above or slightly to the back of needle hooks on intervening needles. The yarn is under a relatively light tension and may lay at the front of some of those needles as they are drawn down. While under light tension, the yarn might not pass behind the proper needles, if it were not for the fact that the sinkers impart a positive control as above described. According to prior methods and when feeding under considerable tension, the elastic being taken by needles passing in an arc, it will be held against the inner or shank sides of the needle hooks, and it is by this tension mainly that the elastic passes behind intervening needle hooks when they are raised. By the present method tension has very little bearing upon the placement of the yarns, only suflicient tension being used to assure that the elastic is under a reasonable control by the needles and sinkers.

In Fig. 4, the same general control of needles and sinkers has been shown as seen in plan. The elastic is illustrated in these views as passing behind intervening needle hooks, although it is to be understood that it does not necessarily' assume that position except as governed by sinkers when they have been moved inwardly as at b and 0. Once the elastic has been properly interlaced the needles move upwardly as in the pathway l2, Fig. 2, there is no opportunity for displacement and since elastic has been fed with a minimum of tension, it has not the tendency to deflect needles due to its contraction, and therefore has little' or no effect on subsequent knitting operations. It is well known that when the elastic is knitted under a relatively great tension, the elastic itself tends to push alternate needles radially inwardly and intermediate needles outwardly. If the elastic is relatively heavy or the tension relatively strong, this defiection of needles may cause considerable trouble in the subsequent knitting functions.

In Fig. 5 a half hose has been shown having a leg l9, foot 20, with heel 2| and toe 22. The

top 23 has elastic yarn incorporated herein in accordance with the invention and while contracting to about the desirable degree for simulating the appearance of an ordinary true rib top, the elastic being inlaid under relatively light tension so that really more elastic has been inserted per course, the extensibility of this top will be much greater than usual, will be more comfortable to the wearer and may be drawn on the foot without difliculty.

The above described method may be practiced on other than circular type machines, and on other than independent needle machines, the feeding of the elastic being carried out under light tension and placement of the yarn being effected by sinkers or like instrumentalities. The actual clearing of the needle latches may take place at the main yarn feed'as herein described, or at any point prior to reaching that feed and after the completion of the interlacing as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. Modifications and other applications of the inventive concept will occur to those skilled in the art and will be included in the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of incorporating an elastic yarn in a knitted fabric including the steps of feeding that yarn to the hooks of spaced needles, drawing needles downwardly to a point at which said elastic yarn will be at about the level of sinker web holding throats, then projecting sinkers inwardly to engage the said elastic yam within the said throats and pushing it behind needles in the hooks of which it was not taken and thereafter raising needles as described.

2. A method of incorporating an elastic yarn in a knitted fabric by simultaneous action of needles and sinkers including the steps of dividing needles and feeding the elastic yarn so that spaced ones only of said needles will take it in their hooks, drawing needles downwardly until the elastic yarn is maintained at about the level of sinker web holding throats, then pushing the said sinkers inwardly and engaging the yarn within sinker throats and forcing it to the back of needles in the hooks of which the said elastic yarn was not taken, thereafter raising needles while the elastic has been thus interlaced to the front and back of respective needles.

3. A method of inlaying elastic yarn in a knitted fabric including the steps of taking the elastic yarn in the hooks of spaced needles and not in the hooks of interspaced needles, drawing needles downwardly until the said elastic yarn is at the level of sinker web holding throats, then pushing sinkers inwardly whereby the elastic is engaged within said throats of sinkers and is forced to the back of interspaced needles, thereafter raising needles while said elastic yarn is thus interlaced to the front and back of the said needles. I

4. A method of inlaying elastic yarn in a knitted fabric including the steps of dividing needles so that spaced ones only of them will be raised to take an elastic yarn within their hooks, drawing needles downwardly until said elastic yarn is at the' level of sinker web holding throats, then pushing sinkers inwardly to engage the elastic yarn within their web holding throats and to force it to the back of needles in the hooks of which it was not taken, thereafter raising needles while the-elastic yarn is interlaced to the front and back thereof.

5. A method of inlaying an elastic yarn in a knitted fabric including the steps of dividing needles so that alternate ones only ofv the needles are-raised to.a height to take elastic yarn in their hooks, feeding said elastic yarn to the hooks of those alternate needles but not into the hooks of intermediate needles, then drawing needles downwardly until the elastic is at alevel of sinker web holding throats, but not casting off previously held stitches, pushing sinkers inwardly so that elastic will be retained within the said throats of sinkers and pushed behind intermediate needles and thereafter raising all needles while the yarn is thus interlaced in front of alternate needles and behind intermediate needles.

6. A method of incorporating elastic yarn in a knitted fabric in a circular, independent needle knitting machine having latch needles and web holding sinkers with web holding nibs and throats, including the steps of feeding that yarn to hooks of spaced needles, drawing needles downwardly to a point at which said yarn will be held at about the level of said web holding throats in said sinkers and beneath their nibs, then projecting sinkers inwardly until they engage the elastic yam beneath the said nibs and within the throats and push it behind needles in the hooks of which it was not taken, and thereafter, raising needles whereby the elastic will be retained in front of and behind the spaced needles in the hooks of which the yarn was taken and those of which it was not taken, respectively.

EUGENE ST. PIERRE. 

